Tube mill guide



Aug. 17, 1954 R. M. REICHL TUBE MILL GUIDE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 5l, 1950 @EQ n 11 l" Il Hu K llv. @Wm

INVENTUR /frMa/vo /Ff/c/fL Pa/f R. M. REICHL TUBE MILL GUIDE Aug. 17, 1954 `5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 5l, 1950 R .bl m .d N m W m M d f il) @l i w r Y m W Pw?. MA mm, NEM ,m1, F HMM l Hll F M L ]ll Nm, L IMU bm, @n WUMIIII. l@ I i bm, A d G o N QN -m\ am .0N @w mw Aug. 17, 1954 R. M. RElcHl. 2,685,444

TUBE MILL GUIDE Filed March 3l, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lnulli f V Ill! lIW

[gyms/M Aug- 17 1954 R. M. REICHL 2,686,444

TUBE MILL GUIDE Filed March 31, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 lI W Aug. 17,l 1954 R. M. REICH.. 2,686,444

A TUBE MILL GUIDE Filed March 31, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIl Fig.

INVENToR. /Pfmfa/v /V/Ff/f//L Patented Aug. 17, 1954 UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE TUBE MILL GUIDE.

Reymond M'. Reichl, Forest Hills,.N..Y., assgnor to. Hydropress,y Incorporated, New York, N; Y., ay corporation of'Delaware ApplicatonMarchBl, 1950, Serial`No. 153,270

8 Claims. 1

This. invention relatesv to an outlet. guide for a seamless. tube mill or the like and particularly to an arrangement guiding the rotating piercer rod before the pierced-pipe-emerges fromthe mill, and for holding the pipe with the piercer rod therein. as. the pipe emerges. from the piercer mill.

In previous devices,. difficulty has been encountered in accurately centering widely varying iametersof tubes. and piercer rods encountered inr tube mills.. Because of. the lengthsinvolved, it is desirable. to. tightly grip the tube or rod.. so as to avoidvibration andshock.. Also, it'. is desirable. to be able. to. quickly adjust. the. mechanism for various size rods and pipes.

The tube mills contemplated are of well known types wherein a relatively thin and long piercer rod is used, the bloom or billet being forced over a mandrel carried on` the. piercer rod, conventional. piercing rolls set askew relative to each. other being employed.

One. of the. objects. of the inventionis to provide an improved arrangement. for rigidly and accurately holding and guiding the piercer rod and pipe or tube. being formed, the rod or pipe being heldY at a predetermined center or axis.

Another of the objects of the invention is to provide an easily adgustable guide arrangementfor holding various size pipes and rods.

In one aspect of the invention, a plurality of standsare provided. having. guide roll` membersl therein automatically adjustable. so that theyl can. closely engage.. thepiercer. rod,. or open up and closely engage the exterior. of. the tube or pipe being formed. Arrangements also are providedto open the roll memberstoa position which is of. greater diameter thanv the tube so as-to-.permitthe tube to be removed with ease. If desired, but not necessarily, the arrangement can have control. devices. associated therewith such that the stands can be made toautomatically open as theformedpipe approaches the same.

In a preierredaspect, a plurality of roll means are provided on each stand, preferably threek or more; said roll means being mounted on independently operatedY supports. The supports can be operated by suitable mechanism moving the roll means in and out relative-to each other and the. axis oi. the piercer rooll or tube, the angular relationship between the roll means being main:-

vtained substantially constant for all adjusted positions. Preferably, the rolls or-roll means are substantially equiangularlyspaced so as to. supportthe tube or rod. equally around. its circumference; Then, when. thediameter ischanged,

the same relationship is maintained. so as. toA

equally support any size-z rod or tube.

The guide stands are located relatively close along the length of the apparatus. In one form,

i a. specially arranged stand can be employed for moving the: opened rolls toa lower position to provide easier access to the piercer mandrel.

These and other objects, advantages and fea` tures of the invention will become apparent. from the following descriptionv and drawingswhich are` merely exemplary:

Figure 1 isV an elevation showing one form.v of the invention.

Figure. 2 is an enlarged view partially in section taken along the line 2.-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3` isl a broken` sidevview of the arrangement of Figure 2; FigureV 3v being partially in. section.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic View showing the relative position of the supporting rollers..V

Figurev 5 is an enlarged View partially in sec tion taken generally-along the line 54-5 of. Fig.-

urel. showing one form which the first standcarr take..

Figure 6 is a. side View partially in section off Figure 5.

Figure 7 isa. fragmentary endelevation. of the.

rst stand. shown in. Figures 5. and- 6,` but with the. partsrin. another position.

Figure 8 isa schematic View illustrating a co partially in section of Figure l1.

Figure 13. is. a View taken approximately along.

the line lli-t3 of Figure 9.

Figure 1.4. is a diagrammatic front. View` showing the invention-with the. use of four rollsand tak-en. along. the. line. l i- |.4. of Figure 15.

Figure is a view taken along the line 15.-l5 ofv Figure 14.. f

In Figure 1, the piercer mill arrangement 20 is schematically shown, a billet` ready to bepierced being. indicated in dot-dash. lines. A plurality of stands 23, 2l' are provided. for the. purpose of. sup

porting. thepiercer rod.v 29A andl of. supporting the pierced. pipe as it is-moved. to the rightirom thepiercer mill: Zit. The. rsty stand 23 can bear-v ranged wi-tha.. double platform asy will be deV scribed hereafter, so that it can be lowered Suniciently for the purpose of permitting changing of the piercing plug or mandrel with ease. As will be pointed out, it is not absolutely necessary, however, that the rst guide stand be different than the other stands. rhe various guide stands are mounted on machine base 24, the guide stands being spaced relatively close together and only far enough apart to permit ejector arms and/or stripper rolls to be mounted therebetween.

First, a guide stand 2l remote from the irst station will be described. As illustrated in Figure 2, three rolls 25, 26, 27 are employed to engage the exterior of the pipe 28 or the exterior of the piercer rod 29. The rolls are mounted so that they can be moved toward and away from each other to accommodate any particular diameter. At any adjusted point, substantially the `same relative distance is maintained between the rolls and the center line or axis of the piercer rod. Also, preferably, substantially the same relative angle is maintained between the rolls, guide members, or roll means, in the form shown this angle being equal.

As illustrated in Figure 4, rolls 25, 25, 2l are shown in dot-dash lines in their maximum open position while engaging a relatively large pipe 30. The rolls are shown in full lines engaging a piercer yrod 3l suitable for a smaller tube or for a tube having an outside diameter indicated at 3E and one of smaller diameter at 38A. Such a range of adjustment and movement vhas been very dificult to obtain in prior devices. The angular relationship between the three roll means will be maintained substantially the same. Normally and preferably, each roll means comprises a single roll, although in some instances a double roll may be employed.

Base 24 (Fig. 2) has frame 32 mounted thereon, said frame havinga bushing 33. Guide plunger 34 is connected with reciprocating frame or crosshead 35, said reciprocating frame being reciprocable by pistons 36 operable by hydraulic cylinders 3l. Roll 2l is mounted in bearings 38 on either side of reciprocable frame 35. Bell crank levers 39 and 40 are pivotally mounted at 4l, 42 on either side of the stationary frame 32, said bell cra-nk levers carrying rolls 25, 25 thereon. Each of said bell crank levers has arcuately arranged gear teeth 43 located thereon, said gear teeth being engaged by racks 44 located on an upstanding portion of the reciprocable frame 35.

When the reciprocable frame 35 is moved up- Wardly, central roll 2l will move upwardly and rolls 25 and 28 will be moved inwardly because of the engagement of the racks with the gear teeth on the bell crank levers, all of said rolls moving substantially equal incrementsat all times and the angular relationship being substantially the same. The pivot points 4l and 42 (A, B, Fig. 4) are located so that the proper relationship will existbetween the rolls relative to the center of the tube or pipe to be hel-d thereby to produce the desired movement. Referring to Figure 4, when three rolls are Used, they are located substantially 120 apart for all adjusted positions. When more than three rolls are used, the angle can be suitably selected.

Yln order to limit adjustably the movement of the rolls in and out relative to each other, a slot 46 vmay be provided in guide plunger 34 through which longitudinally movable adjusting bars 41 and 43can pass, said bars having sloping or cam surfaces 49 and 59, respectively. Hardened metal pads and 52 may be provided on either side of slot 4B for engagement by surfaces 49 and 59, respectively.

The position of surface 49 can be adjusted so as to regulate the downward movement of the plunger 34 and thus the opening or gripping diameter of the rolls. The lower surface 50 can be positioned to govern the distance the plunger 34 can travel upwardly and thus the minimum diameter engageable by the rolls. As will be described hereafter, bars 41 and 48 can be reciprocated by hydraulic cylinders 53 and 54, or by any other suitable mechanism for the purpose of adjusting the limits of movement of the rolls.

The first stand (Figs. 5, 6) is arranged so that the rolls can be lowered more than the other guide stands to permit removal or replacement of the piercer mandrel at this point. Reciprocable frame 55 (Figs. 5, 6) is carried by plunger 56, said reciprocable frame 55 and plunger 56 being reciprocable relative to support 51' by hydraulic pistons 58 movable in cylinders 55A.A Cylinders 58A are mounted on the second reciprocable frame 5l'. Protecting member 53B surrounds the lower portions of cylinders 58A. The support 51 is vertically reciprocable by means of hydraulic motors 59A operating piston rods 59, plunger 60 being reciprocable in theguide 6I. Longitudinally reciprocable bars having adjusting surfaces, similar to those described for Figures 2 and 3, can be used to adjust the movement of the rolls. Rolls 62, 53 and 64 correspond to rolls 25, 26, 21 of Figures v,2 and 3, these rolls being moved inwardly and outwardly by a gear and rack arrangement similar toY that described for Figures 2 and 3.

In Figure 7, the arrangement of Figures 5 and 6 is depicted with the rolls open the maxi-l mum amount and the support 5l lowered to its lowest position. A pair of tongs adapted to grip the tube or piercer head adjacent the nrst stand can be used.

One control arrangement for the apparatus just described is illustrated schematically in Figure V8, wherein the stands are diagrammaticaily .shown at 65, 5l, with p hotoelectric cell operated controllers therebetween. The piercer mill motor is schematically shown at 69 with a schematic wiring connection to the solenoid relay valve it of the hydraulic cylinders of the first stand Se. Each of the photoelectric cells 68 is shown schematically connected to a solenoid relay valve means 'il to operate the hydraulic control apparatus or cylinders for the stand involved, such controlling the supply of iluid thereto. A schematic connection is indicated between each relay valve lil, ll with its stand. The 'piercer mill motor 5S is arranged so that when it becomes loaded due to operation on aA billet or bloom at the start of a piercing operation, relay 'iii will be operated or energized to control the hydraulic support to the cylinder means ofthe first stand so as to open the rolls of the first stand 55 suiliciently to adjust the guide to the exterior diameter of the pipe, the rolls previously having been closed on the long, thin piercer rod inserted from the right of the machine. AS the leading pipe edge reaches each succeeding photoeiectric cell, the next guide stand will be opened from engagement with the piercer rod to the diameter necessary to receive the exterior of the pipe. Various suitable photocell circuits and amplifiers can be used to control conventional'valves, suchas the usual solenoid operated relayvalve, for the supply of hydraulic having a piercer rod and tube manipulating mechanism, said piercer rod and mechanism having an axis along which a tube moves, the combination including a guide stan-d frame, a plurality of guide roll means on said stand, independent support means for each of said guide roll means, support moving means including a reciprocable movable member having spaced motion limiting abutments thereon, screw threadedly adjustable motion limiting means located in thel path of said abutments and contactable by said abutments, and longitudinally movable adjustable means movable relative to said frame and connected to said screw threadedly adjustable motion limiting means adjustably limiting movement of the support moving means, so as to control the opening between said guide members.

5. In an outlet guide for a seamless tube mill having a piercer rod, said piercer rod having an axis along which a tube moves, the combination including a guide stand frame, at least three guide roll means on said stand, independent support means for each of said guide roll means including at least two independent pivotally mounted arm supports for at least two of said guide roll means, only one guide roll means being mounted on each arm, and a third support means independently supporting the other guide roll means, said third support means being movable in conjunction with said pivotally mounted arm supports, and means connected with all of said support means operable to move all of said support means to various positions toward and away from the axis of said rod with each of the guide roll means substantially equiangularly spaced from each other and equidistant from said axis of the piercer rod.

6. In an outlet guide apparatus for a seamless tube mill having a piercer rod and a plurality of gui-de stands for supporting said rod and a tube pierced thereby, the combination comprising at least three guide roll means on each stand movable to closed and open positions to support a rodk and tube selectively, said guide roll means being in closed position at the beginning of an operation to hold said piercer rod, means independently supporting each of said guide roll means and moving the guide roll means in substantially equiangularly spaced paths at all times, hydraulic operating means connected to said guide roll means, hydraulic control means connected to said hydraulic operating means, adjustable` motion limiting mechanism having spaced control surfaces contactable with said operating means, said operating means positioning said guide roll means in closed rod supporting position when one of said surfaces is contacted and positioning said guide roll means in open tube supporting position when contacting the other surface, and tube presence detecting means automatically activating said control means as a tube approaches each stand to move said guide roll means from a closed roll supporting position to an open tube supporting position '1. In an outlet guide apparatus for a seamless tube mill having a piercer rod and a plurality 8'- of guide stands for supporting said rod and a tube pierced thereby, the combination comprising at least three guide roll means on each stand movable to closed and open positions to support a rod and tube selectively, said guide Aroll means being in closed position at the beginning of an operation to hold said piercer rod, a pair of bell crank levers pivotally mounted on each guide stand and a reciprocable support on each stand to actuate said bell crank levers, said levers and support each carrying one of said guide roll means, said guide roll means being movable in' substantially equiangularly spaced paths at all times, hydraulic operating means connected `to said guide roll means, hydraulic control means connected to said hydraulic operating means, adjustable motion limiting mechanism Ihaving spaced control surfaces contactable with said operating means, said operating means positioning said guide roll means in closed rod supporting position when one of said surfaces is contacted and positioning said guide roll means in open tube supporting position when contacting the other surface, and a photoelectric cell tube presence detecting means automatically activating said control means as a tube approaches each stand to move said guide roll means from a closed roll supporting position to an open tube supporting position.

8. In an outlet guide for a seamless tube mill having a piercer rod, said piercer rod having an axis along which a tube moves, the combination including a guide stand frame, at least three guide roll means on said stand, independent support means for each of said guide roll means including at least two independent pivotally mounted arm supports for at least two of said guide roll means, only one guide roll means being mounted on each arm, and a third support means independently supporting the other guide roll means, said third support means being movable in conjunction with said pivotally mounted arm supports, means connected with all of said support means operable to move all of said support means to various positions toward and away from the axis of said rod with each of the guide roll means substantially equiangularly spaced from each other and equidistant from said axis of the piercer rod to move said guide roll means between rod guiding and tube guiding positions and so as to accommodate and accurately center various sizes of tubes and piercer rods, and reciprocable means carrying said independent support means and movable toward and away from the axis of said rod for lowering said guide roll means as a unit so as to obtain access to the piercer rod.

References Cited in the le of this patent 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,713,678 Seibert May 2l, 1929 l,950,929 Olson Mar. 13, 1934 2,187,012 Brenner Jan. 16, 1940 2,263,744 Smith Nov. 25, 1941 

